Police have arrested a man from Fuvamulak with suspected illegal drugs.
According to the police, he was arrested on 23 December 2013 while he was inside Fuvamulak Hospital. Officers found four packets containing suspected illegal drugs inside the pocket of his jeans.
Fuvamulak Police Station is further investaging the case.
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(0)Former President Mohamed Waheed has decided to join the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) after his Gaumee Ihthihaad Party (GIP – National Unity Party) was dissolved by the party’s council.
Waheed signed for the PPM at a special event attended by President Abdulla Yameen held today.
Other members of the GIP’s leadership also signed for the PPM alongside Waheed.
This includes his political advisor Ahmed Thaufeeq, State Minister of Education Abdulla Nazeer, former President’s Office Spokesperson Masood Imad, Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Hussain Shihab, former Immigration Controllers Dr Mohamed Ali and Ilyas Hussain Ibrahim, Adnaan Ali and Jaufar Easa Adam.
Waheed said his decision to join PPM is in the best interest of the nation at the current time. He praised PPM for winning “a very competitive and difficult election”, saying it is the PPM that is most capable of overcoming obstacles and facing up to challenges.
GIP Council member Thaufeeq informed local media that the council members had unanimously made the decision to dissolve the party as they did not believe it wise to continue running the party in the present political and economic circumstances.
“We agreed that the current political and economic situation makes it difficult for small parties to function here. We believe that dissolving the party would be beneficial to the nation and citizens as the state spends large amounts from its budget on funding small political parties,” Thaufeeq said.
Waheed himself led the meeting attended by all ten council members of the party.
Thaufeeq confirmed that the party would complete sending in all formal documentation needed to dissolve the party to the Elections Commission by Thursday.
According to the Elections Commission (EC) website, the GIP – which was officially registered on September 4, 2008 – currently has 5864 signed members.
The EC has sent a letter to all parties comprising less than 10,000 members notifying them that they will be dissolved within three months after the ratification of the Political Party Act in September.
In March, when the draft of the political party bill was being discussed, several smaller parties began membership drives to reach the limit of 10,000 members, including the GIP, business tycoon MP Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhooree Party and the religious conservative Adhaalath Party.
Waheed’s GIP was accused of trying to induce people to join throughillegitimate means, in a bid to shore up the party’s membership base. The inducements included offering “music equipment and a place to play for free” as well as “hosting shows and parties” for young people.
Apart from luxurious parties and entertainment, the GIP also allegedly promised highly paid government jobs and promotions in return for joining the party.
(0)Dislikes(0)Bileidhoo Magistrate Court on the island of Bileidhoo in Faafu Atoll has sentenced a 52 year-old man to 10 years for sexually abusing a minor.
Police identified the 52 year-old man as Hassan Zareer, 52 of Jeymugasdhoshuge in Bileidhoo, Faafu Atoll.
According to the police, on January 9, 2013, the Family and Children Services Centre in Faafu Atoll reported the case to police alleging that Zareer had sexually abuse a minor multiple times on different days.
Police said that during the trial Zareer denied the charges against him, however, the court ruled that the witness statements produced by the state, the report submitted by the Family and Children Services Centre in Faafu Atoll, the Medico Legal Report submitted by the state and the police investigation was enough to rule Zareer was guilty.
The court stated that all the documents produced to the court were official documents that can be considered as evidence according to the Act Number 12/2009 Special Measures Against Perpetrators of Child Sex Abuse.
Bileidhoo Magistrate Court’s ruling stated that the victim told her father and aunt about the incident and according to what the victim has said, Zareer has completed five elements of the crimes stated in the Act 12/2009.
The court also ruled that Zareer was guilty of the crime beyond reasonable doubt as stated in article 51[h] and Zareer was sentenced under article 3[c] of Act Number 12/2009.
Furthermore, the court advised Zareer to refrain from big and small acts of crimes and sins.
The police concluded the investigation in to the case and sent it to the Prosecutor General’s Office on 25 February 2013.
(4)Dislikes(1)Two young men of 18 and 21 years of age were stabbed last night in an incident that took place near ‘Coffee Corner’ cafe’ in Male’ around 11:37pm, police have reported.
The 21 year old – identified as Hussein Waheed – passed away while being treated for injuries at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé. The other victim of the attack, Shaz Shareef is being treated for injuries at the hospital. Both victims were from the neighborhood in which they were stabbed.
Speaking to Minivan News, a police media official said the force had immediately begun a special operation to find the perpetrators, and said a 26 year old had already been taken into police custody.
While the police declined to give further details about the suspect, in a video message, the head of the MPS Serious and Organized Crime Unit has appealed for public assistance in the investigation.
He requested members of the public to report any information regarding this incident to the Unit’s hotline 9911099 or police numbers 119 and 3322111.
The victim Hussein Waheed was taken into Police custody in April 2011 in a police special operation to reduce crime in the capital, in connection to a stockpile of weapons and drugs found in a Male’ house.
This is the third stabbing reported this month, a 24 year old man was attacked with a sharp object on 22 December in Male’, and on 4 December a 55 year old man was was attacked in Ha. Hoarafushi.
Two people were killed in L. Gan in two separate incidents earlier this year. Ismail Nizar, 31 was killed on 14 July whilst riding on the street, and Mohamed Hassan 54 was attacked in his sleep.
Last year ten people were killed in the Maldives in mostly gang related incidents.
(5)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen has appointed individuals to additional political positions this week.
Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed has been appointed as Foreign Secretary. He was previously serving as Additional Secretary at the Foreign Ministry.
Jumhooree Party’s council member Fuad Gasim – who remains a State Minister – has been transferred from Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture to Ministry of Health and Gender.
The President also appointed three new Deputy Ministers.
Fathimath Inaya has been appointed to the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. She formerly served as Joint Secretary in the same ministry.
Mohamed Mahir has been appointed as Deputy Minister of Health and Gender.
Dr. Aishath Muneeza has been appointed as Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs. She studied for a doctorate in law at International Islamic University of Malaysia.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Foreign Ministry has confirmed on Tuesday that a Maldivian citizen has been arrested in Trivandrum, India.
The Ministry stated that the Maldivian Consulate in Trivandrum had been notified of the arrest on December 17 by the Medical College Police Station, and that the arrest was made on charges of breaching the Passport Law and Foreigners Registration Amendment Law of India.
On the day of arrest, the Maldivian’s case was heard at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. According to the Ministry, the family of the detainee is now seeking possibilities of having the person released on bail.
The ministry stated that it is closely observing the matter through the Maldivian Consulate in Trivandrum, and that it will provide all possible cooperation and assistance within the boundaries of law.
The Ministry declined from providing details of the detainee’s identity.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen has reconstituted the board of the National Drug Agency, naming newly appointed Deputy Minister of Gender and Health Mohamed Mahir as the Chair.
In addition to Mahir, Deputy Youth Minister Naif Shaukath, President’s Office Legal Affairs Secretary Aishath Bisham, Ministry of Home Affairs Executive Director Hamid Yoosuf, Minstry of Education Director General Fathimath Azza, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Ali Shahid Mohamed, Maldives Police Services (MPS) Chief Inspector Mohamed Rasheed, Assistant Commissioner of Customs Aminath Rasheedha, Deputy Controller of Immigration Abdulla Waheed, and Mohamed Zubair from Journey – a non-governmental organization working against drug abuse – constitute the board.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government has announced it will mark “Unity Day” to commemorate the tsunami disaster of 2004 and to strengthen bonds between citizens. As in the past 8 years, the Home Ministry has announced that one minute of silence will be observed on the streets on Thursday morning at 9:20am.
The official state event will be held in the Islamic Centre at 10:30am.
The Home Ministry has also revealed that it will be organising a nationwide cleaning program to mark the Unity Day which falls on December 26.
According to the Home Ministry, the cleaning program will be conducted on Saturday from 7:30am to 12:30pm in both Male’ and the atolls. It has extended invitations to clubs and organisations to join the event.
Clean up will be focused on specific locations selected by the island councils.
The 2004 tsunami resulted in 82 deaths and 26 missing persons in the Maldives.
(0)Dislikes(0)People’s Majlis’ Independent Institutinos Committee has decided to seek public opinion on Maumoon Hameed, President Abdulla Yameen’s nephew whose name he recently proposed for the post of Prosecutor General.
Speaking to local media, Chair of the Committee MP Ahmed Sameer said members of the public can give their views on Maumoon Hameed through the People’s Majlis website till 10:00 am next Monday. He said the parliament is currently working on technical details to make this possible and comments submitted will not be publicized to prevent it from being abused. The committee members will seek answers from Maumoon Hameed for comments made.
“PG has the power to prosecute or not prosecute, so the committee felt it is very important to know the publics opinion on such a person. Our objective is to carry out everything related to his position in the most transparent manner, because it is such a revered and exalted position.” MP Sameer was quoted as saying.
Hameed who is a lawyer by profession has to win parliamentary majority approval before he can be appointed to the position.
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